This invention relates to the field of multirate meter dial registers and more particularly to such multirate dial registers of the time-of-day type having easily changeable gear ratios for alternatively providing measurement of different parameters of a consumption quantity to be measured or measurements of a given parameter at different time intervals.
The measurement of a consumption quantity such as electric energy for billing purposes often includes the use of a meter having a basic measuring unit such as found in a watthour meter movement having a rotating measuring element. The rate of rotation of the element is proportional to the flow of the energy quantity to be measured. Detachable dial register units are known which are removably mounted to the measuring unit so as to enable quick and easy conversion of a meter for different modes of measurement indicated at one or more sets of dials on the front of the register. In electric energy meters, different detachable dial registers are commonly provided for measuring electric consumption in kilowatthours, maximum electric power demand in kilowatts, and/or a combination of both kilowatthours and maximum kilowatt demand. Further detachable dial registers are provided for measuring a consumption quantity at plural sets of dials in which one or more of the sets of dials are selectively activated on a time-related basis so that different billing rates can be applied to energy consumption during different times. The time-of-day measurements typically are scheduled to correspond to the peak loads on a supplying system or source such as experienced by an electric power distribution system. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,014 for "Demand Meter For On-Peak Maximum Demand Metering" issued Oct. 14, 1975 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, a dial register is described for electric energy measurement in kilowatthours and time controlled measurement of electric power in kilowatts. On-off demand metering times are varied by interchangeable cams driven by a timing motor. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,807 for "Multidial Electric Meter Register" issued Dec. 5, 1978 and assigned to the assignee of this invention a multidial register is described having a solenoid controlled gear shifting arrangement for effecting on-peak and off-peak or time-of-day kilowatthour and maximum kilowatt demand metering. Both of the last noted dial registers include separate sets of dials to provide the separate kilowatthour and kilowatt demand measurements.